General Services Administration

A trial that would have determined a fair value for Aberdeen to pay for the downtown federal courthouse has been postponed. The one-day trial was scheduled for Tuesday. Instead, a court hearing to address motions is set for Aug. 29. A new trial date has not been set. While they aren't obliged to buy the building that housed the federal courtroom, Aberdeen officials have begun the eminent domain process. It allows governments to claim private property if it is in the public interest - but the property owner is entitled to a fair price.

Q. I see there is an agenda item tonight that deals with the old federal building. What is going to happen and why is the City Council involved? A. A dispute between the building owner and the federal government has put Aberdeen's ability to continue to have federal court cases heard here in jeopardy. When the General Services Administration sold the building, the post office, the federal court and its offices, some Bureau of Indian Affairs offices, the FBI and the U.S. marshals continued there as rent-paying tenants.

There's a new partner in the mix as Aberdeen officials work to buy the now-closed federal courthouse under eminent domain, which allows government entities to take possession of private property if it is in the public interest. The downtown building, owned by Green World Aberdeen LLC, has a mortgage filed against it. According to paperwork filed at the Brown County Register of Deeds office, the $731,250 mortgage was transferred and recorded in May 2011. What that likely means is the holder of the mortgage, Wells Fargo, National Association, of Maryland, will need to be consulted for a deal to be struck or would have to be a part of court proceedings, said Adam Altman, city attorney for Aberdeen.

Aberdeen's move to buy the downtown federal courthouse is caught up in the legal system. There's still no trial date set to determine the value of the building at 102 Fourth Ave. S.E., which is sitting empty. And a Sept. 19 court date, at which Wells Fargo has requested that a receiver be appointed, will almost certainly be delayed, said Adam Altman, Aberdeen city attorney. Wells Fargo, which has a $731,250 mortgage on the courthouse, has requested a receiver. A receiver can be appointed to operate or oversee a business or property during legal wrangling.

Aberdeen's move to buy the downtown federal courthouse is caught up in the legal system There's still no trial date set to determine the value of the building at 102 Fourth Ave. S.E., which is sitting empty. And a Sept. 19 court date, at which Wells Fargo has requested that a receiver be appointed, will almost certainly be delayed, said Adam Altman, Aberdeen city attorney. Wells Fargo, which has a $731,250 mortgage on the courthouse, has requested a receiver. A receiver can be appointed to operate or oversee a business or property during legal wrangling.

A one-day jury trial has been set to determine the fair market value of the downtown federal courthouse in Aberdeen. In May, the Aberdeen City Council approved starting the eminent domain process in an attempt to ensure that federal court remains in Aberdeen. The courthouse closed at the end of May after a contract between the federal government and the owner of the building, Green World Aberdeen LLC, expired. Eminent domain allows government entities to take possession of private property if doing so is in the public interest.

Aberdeen will have to wait to take possession of the downtown federal courthouse. Judge Jack Von Wald said during a Wednesday court hearing that he didn't know of any legal authority that would allow the city to take immediate possession of the building, which has been empty since May. Von Wald set Oct. 31 for a trial to determine the fair value of the building, clearing the way for the city to take possession. The hearings are part of the eminent domain process, which allows government entities to take property if doing so is in the public interest.

The City Council set aside $525,000 for the possible acquisition of the federal courthouse building, but it wasn't without reservations. City Attorney Adam Altman said the funds for the purchase of the courthouse will be used in the eminent domain proceedings, which is scheduled for a hearing Wednesday morning. Altman said a favorable ruling Wednesday will allow the federal court system access to the building immediately and give the city the ability to negotiate a new lease with General Services Administration.

MINEOLA, N.Y. (AP) - The federal government's plan to sell Plum Island, an animal disease research lab off eastern Long Island, and move operations to Kansas took another step closer to fruition on July 30 when the General Services Administration issued an environmental review recommending that the sale proceed. The 512-page environmental impact statement said, The preferred alternative - is the sale of the property out of federal ownership. The study, which included numerous maps and exhibits, did not identify any potential buyers for the 843-acre property located about 100 miles east of New York City.

Aberdeen will have to wait to take possession of the downtown federal courthouse. Judge Jack Von Wald said during a Wednesday court hearing that he didn't know of any legal authority that would allow the city to take immediate possession of the building, which has been empty since May. Von Wald set Oct. 31 for a trial to determine the fair value of the building, clearing the way for the city to take possession. The hearings are part of the eminent domain process, which allows government entities to take property if doing so is in the public interest.

The City Council set aside $525,000 for the possible acquisition of the federal courthouse building, but it wasn't without reservations. City Attorney Adam Altman said the funds for the purchase of the courthouse will be used in the eminent domain proceedings, which is scheduled for a hearing Wednesday morning. Altman said a favorable ruling Wednesday will allow the federal court system access to the building immediately and give the city the ability to negotiate a new lease with General Services Administration.

Q. I see there is an agenda item tonight that deals with the old federal building. What is going to happen and why is the City Council involved? A. A dispute between the building owner and the federal government has put Aberdeen's ability to continue to have federal court cases heard here in jeopardy. When the General Services Administration sold the building, the post office, the federal court and its offices, some Bureau of Indian Affairs offices, the FBI and the U.S. marshals continued there as rent-paying tenants.

Aberdeen's move to buy the downtown federal courthouse is caught up in the legal system. There's still no trial date set to determine the value of the building at 102 Fourth Ave. S.E., which is sitting empty. And a Sept. 19 court date, at which Wells Fargo has requested that a receiver be appointed, will almost certainly be delayed, said Adam Altman, Aberdeen city attorney. Wells Fargo, which has a $731,250 mortgage on the courthouse, has requested a receiver. A receiver can be appointed to operate or oversee a business or property during legal wrangling.

Aberdeen's move to buy the downtown federal courthouse is caught up in the legal system There's still no trial date set to determine the value of the building at 102 Fourth Ave. S.E., which is sitting empty. And a Sept. 19 court date, at which Wells Fargo has requested that a receiver be appointed, will almost certainly be delayed, said Adam Altman, Aberdeen city attorney. Wells Fargo, which has a $731,250 mortgage on the courthouse, has requested a receiver. A receiver can be appointed to operate or oversee a business or property during legal wrangling.

A trial that would have determined a fair value for Aberdeen to pay for the downtown federal courthouse has been postponed. The one-day trial was scheduled for Tuesday. Instead, a court hearing to address motions is set for Aug. 29. A new trial date has not been set. While they aren't obliged to buy the building that housed the federal courtroom, Aberdeen officials have begun the eminent domain process. It allows governments to claim private property if it is in the public interest - but the property owner is entitled to a fair price.

MINEOLA, N.Y. (AP) - The federal government's plan to sell Plum Island, an animal disease research lab off eastern Long Island, and move operations to Kansas took another step closer to fruition on July 30 when the General Services Administration issued an environmental review recommending that the sale proceed. The 512-page environmental impact statement said, The preferred alternative - is the sale of the property out of federal ownership. The study, which included numerous maps and exhibits, did not identify any potential buyers for the 843-acre property located about 100 miles east of New York City.

There's a new partner in the mix as Aberdeen officials work to buy the now-closed federal courthouse under eminent domain, which allows government entities to take possession of private property if it is in the public interest. The downtown building, owned by Green World Aberdeen LLC, has a mortgage filed against it. According to paperwork filed at the Brown County Register of Deeds office, the $731,250 mortgage was transferred and recorded in May 2011. What that likely means is the holder of the mortgage, Wells Fargo, National Association, of Maryland, will need to be consulted for a deal to be struck or would have to be a part of court proceedings, said Adam Altman, city attorney for Aberdeen.

A one-day jury trial has been set to determine the fair market value of the downtown federal courthouse in Aberdeen. In May, the Aberdeen City Council approved starting the eminent domain process in an attempt to ensure that federal court remains in Aberdeen. The courthouse closed at the end of May after a contract between the federal government and the owner of the building, Green World Aberdeen LLC, expired. Eminent domain allows government entities to take possession of private property if doing so is in the public interest.